1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to video systems and computer systems. More specifically, the invention relates to associating and maintaining identities over an extended period of time and providing total situational awareness and monitoring capabilities.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to train war fighters for urban warfare, live exercises are held at various facilities. Commanders need to have situational awareness of the entire mock battlefield and also the individual actions of the various war fighters. The commands need to be able to provide instant feedback and play through different actions and what-if scenarios with the war fighters. The war fighters need to review their actions and rehearse different maneuvers.
There is a need for a system to track war fighters around an urban site using RFID and video-based tracking. Dynamic acquisition and recording of the precise location of individual troops and units during training would greatly aid the analysis of the training sessions, allowing improved review, critique, and instruction. More generally, there is a need for immersive situational awareness systems for monitoring a site with many additional applications.
Security forces at complex, sensitive installations like airports, railway stations, government buildings, military bases and public facilities can be hampered by outdated security systems that do little more than show disjointed closed circuit television pictures and the status of access points. A typical surveillance display, for example, is twelve videos of a scene shown in a 3×4 grid on a monitor. As the magnitude and severity of threats escalates, the need to respond rapidly and more effectively more complicated and dangerous tactical situations has become apparent. Simply installing more cameras, monitors and sensors quickly overwhelms the ability of security forces to comprehend the situation and take appropriate actions.
The challenge is particularly daunting for sites that the government must protect and defend. Merely asking personnel to be even more vigilant cannot reasonably guard enormous areas. In addition, as troops deploy, new security personnel (e.g., reserves) may be utilized who are less familiar with the facility. The solution lies in tools that act as force multipliers, raising the effectiveness of security personnel by integrating sensor inputs, brining potential threats to guards' attention, and presenting information in a context that speeds comprehension and response and reduces the need for extensive training. When security forces can understand the tactical situation more quickly, they are better able to focus on the threat and take the necessary actions to prevent an attack or reduce its consequences.